Tips for safe grilling

Janet Hackert, Nutrition and Health
Education Specialist, Harrison County, University of Missouri
Extension

Barbequing outside can be a great way to prepare a healthy
meal while keeping the heat out of the kitchen. Here are some tips to address the most
common concerns in grilling safety.

First, marinate meat in the refrigerator to keep it cool. Treat
the used marinade as you would the raw meat juices it contains —
that means the marinade needs to be boiled if it will be used as
a sauce.

Be sure to avoid cross-contamination when grilling. Raw meat
juices may contain microorganisms that cause flu-like symptoms if
eaten. Vegetables and cooked meat must be kept separate from raw
and undercooked meat or meat juices on cutting boards, platters,
and cooking and serving utensils. Although that may mean using more
dishes, it’s important to keep people from getting sick from foodborne
illness.

Meat must be cooked to the proper internal temperature when
grilling, which requires a food thermometer. Before grilling,
make sure the thermometer you will use is properly calibrated.
Check this by putting the thermometer in water with ice and
confirm that the thermometer reads 32° F. If the reading is not
correct, adjust the thermometer until it measures this known
temperature accurately or replace the thermometer if it can't be
adjusted. This is also a good way to identify where on the
thermometer the temperature is sensed. Some have sensors at the
very tip of the fork or probe inserted into the food, but others
may have sensors higher up, usually
indicated by a dimple in the measuring rod.

When using the food thermometer, make sure the sensor is
inserted and held in the thickest part of the meat.
Be careful that the thermometer doesn’t touch bone or poke out the
other side of the meat, as this may give an inaccurate temperature.
For thinner pieces of meat, like burgers or chicken parts, this
may mean inserting the thermometer into the meat from the side
rather than from the top. Ground meat of any kind should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature
of 160° F. All poultry (whole, parts or ground) should be cooked
to an internal temperature of
165° F. Whole pork and red meats (including beef, lamb and
venison) should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F,
with the added step of letting the meat “rest” for 3 minutes.
Remove meat from the heat and let it sit.

On a cool day, meat off the grill should be eaten or refrigerated
within two hours. That is because at air temperatures between 40
and 140° F — a range referred to as the Food Safety Danger Zone
— germs that cause foodborne illness thrive and can reach potentially
dangerous levels within two hours. As air temperatures rise, that
time period lessens. On hot days — 90° F or above — that time is
reduced to one hour. To keep meat safe, don’t let it sit out before
or after grilling, eat it quickly or keep it cool.

When planning the menu, keep the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans in mind. Try adding grilled vegetables and/or fruit to
the meal.
MyPlate, the symbol representing these guidelines,
recommends filling half the plate with vegetables and fruits. A
few ideas for the veggies include making kabobs, wrapping
veggies in foil with seasonings, or grilling larger pieces like
asparagus and corn directly on the grill. Grilled fruit can add
a tangy or sweet taste to a kabob or marinade.

For more information on grilling healthy, safe meals, contact Janet Hackert
at 660-425-6434 or
HackertJ@missouri.edu or contact your local MU Extension
office.